The more pragmatic may dismiss such thoughts as too woolly for the world of business. Yet, who has never asked themselves as they go to work on a Monday morning, “why do I do this?” For some it is a simple case of necessity, for example having children to put through university. Yet whilst we all have a standard of living to maintain, more and more people are asking themselves questions like this. And it seems that increasing numbers of business managers and leaders are using coaching to consider whether their work has meaning for them and in some cases making radical changes as a result.

Pre-eminent thinker in leadership and organisational change, Sir John Whitmore has written that “some employees, especially younger ones … want their work to be of value and have meaning and purpose. Lining the pockets of shareholders is no longer seen as meaningful”. Whitmore believes that this need is growing, saying he has noticed “that the issue of meaning and purpose is being raised more and more often” and specifically within a coaching context. Some authors like Danah Zohar call this ‘spiritual intelligence’ which according to Zohar “makes us ask why we are doing what we are doing”.

As  part of my Masters in Coaching, I researched the significance of purpose and meaning in corporate life. Did issues around purpose and meaning come up for discussion in executive coaching sessions? If so, what were the benefits to clients in exploring them?

I surveyed 25 executive coaches via a questionnaire, followed by interviews with the five more experienced coaches and five clients. The results were striking:
•  More than 80% of coaches said that at some point during the coaching their clients wanted to talk about the purpose of their work or life.
•  Over 75% stated that their clients were ‘searching for meaning’.
•  Every coach reported the benefits that clients became more motivated as a result of exploring this area.
•  More than 90% said that clients reported increased self-confidence and self-awareness, and improved relationships with others.

These results are not surprising; many of us have experienced working for people who have neither enthusiasm nor energy. They spread gloom wherever they go and targets are only achieved because of the conscientiousness of others. By contrast, leaders who genuinely believe in their work inspire others and energise those around them.

Many executives in corporate enterprises want to know that they are accomplishing more than just increasing shareholder value and many public sector leaders choose to work in these organisations as an expression of their values and ideals. These findings suggest that there can be major returns for organisations whose executives are working purposefully.

The successful twenty-first century organisations will be those with the flexibility to recognise that their executives have ‘spiritual’ as well as physical lives. Effective leadership development programmes producing sustainable change will allow reflective space for leaders to consider their purpose. Coaching that helps executives find meaning in their work results in more motivated and self-confident leaders.

Author: John Hannon, MSC; senior executive and business coach, Corporate Alchemy. Coaching in developing leadership capability, business strategies, career development and transformation goal achievement.

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